In order for a bowler to have the greatest advantage in his attempt to consistently score the maximum number of pins, the bowling ball is released from one or more of the middle fingers by applying pressure to ball through the bowling ball finger holes in a complex motion known to those skilled in the art as lift, Lift, as known in bowling and as shown for example in U.S. Pat. 4,371,163 of Shaffer, means imparting to the ball the two rotary motions of roll and spin. To achieve roll, tie ball is made to rotate in a forward and downward direction relative to the horizontal axis alone the direction of travel of the ball toward the pins and to achicve spin, the ball is made to rotate with a rotational component about the vertical axis of the ball, as viewed from above a ball thrown with the right hand. It is the spin that causes a desired scattering of the falling pins, increasing the chance for a strike.
A stated above, this complex motion of imparting two rotary motions of roll and spin is known to those skilled in the art as lift. Lift is produced, after the thumb has been removed from the ball, by one or more of the middle fingers applying a force to the ball at its release to rotate the ball upward, imparting the desired roll and spin. To perform this operation in the best manner requires the bowler, in releasing the ball, to consistently apply his maximum force through one or more of the bowler""s middle fingers, against the interior surface of the bowling ball finger hole. In bowling, this operation is repealed from a minimum of twelve for a perfect game, to a maximum of twenty one times, depending on the bowler""s success in scoring a strike or spare in the last regular frame. Multiplied by a number of games, for example in league play, there is typically three full games with a minimum of thirty six ball released to it maximum of sixty three balls released. The multiplied acts of bowling, involving lifting the ball on its release, produces multiple strains and stresses on the bowler""s finger. Critical to properly lifting and releasing the bowling ball, is maintaining the best possible positioning of the middle finger or fingers against the bowling hall hole, to consistently apply the proper amount of lift to the ball. As the hard surface of the bowling ball finger hole is continually forced against the bowler""s extended finger, producing stress and strain in the finger, the ability of the bowler to maintain consistent control through middle ringer or fingers at the ball release, is reduced, detrimentally affecting the bowler""s ability to consistently lift the ball and consistently score strikes.
In attempts to adjust the curved position of the finger, a strap was used as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,337 and 3,880,426. As shown therein the strap was adjustable relative to an anchor point on the wrist. However the devices as shown in these patents placed the strap in a straight line locus from the curved finger tip area to the anchor point, imposing a space between the strap and the finger and palm. The size or depth of the space was relative to the adjustment made to the position of the finger tip, the amount of tension applied to the strap, the curve produced in the finger, and the relative placement or disposition of the strap to the wrist anchor point. As a consequence, when the bowler placed his finger into the bowling ball finger hole with the finger and palm forced against the ball, the strap extending in a line from the curved finger to the wrist anchor point, was forced against the finger and palm, changing the straight line locus of the strap from the finger to the anchor point, to a curved line locus from the finger to the palm and changing the original adjustment to the strap and its force on the finger, as previously made by the bowler.
As shown herein, in a preferred embodiment, this invention according to the inventive principles disclosed, in an embodiment is an adjustable tensioning strap mounted in a glove adapted to be worn on the bowling hand and connecting or terminating at a first end proximate the glove finger tip or a finger pad protector placed at the glove finger tip and disposed opposite the position of the bowler""s finger pad, and at a second end, at an anchor point proximate the glove part enclosing the wrist or palm. The tensioning strap, from its first end to its second end, is held adjacent the glove lining so when placed on the hand and with tension applied to the tensioning strap, a curve is produced in the finger while the tensioning strap is held or forced by the glove toward and substantially adjacent the bowler""s finger and palm, and describing a curved line locus from the first end to the second end of the tensioning strap and with the curved locus substantially adjacent the length of the bowler""s finger or palm.
The tensioning strap may be adjusted relative to the second anchor point proximate the glove palm or wrist, by applying a tensioning force in a direction away from the finger tip and in the direction from the finger to the wrist and whereby the tensioning force on the tensioning strap will serve to draw the finger into a curved position with the finger tip pulled toward the wrist. The adjustment is variable depending upon the needs of the individual bowler when grasping the bowling ball and when in the initial part of the ball release when the bowler""s arm is in an up swing, and when the bowler is starting his release by initiating a lifting force through the middle fingers, as would be known to those skilled in the art.
In accordance with the principles of the disclosed invention, the tension strap may be an elastic material, stretching or elongating under a tension force or substantially non-elastic and substantially not stretching or elongating under a tension force, according to the disclosed principles of the invention as shown for a preferred embodiment. When substantially non-elastic, the tension strap may be adjusted with the middle finger in an extended or neutral position, relative to a curved or flexed position, to resist the force of the bowling ball at release and to support the middle finger from being forced backward in a hyper-extended position where stress or strain would be imposed on the finger. For an elastic tension strap, the elastic resistance to a tension force may be varied to produce a restoring force in the tension strap when the middle finger is extended in a neutral position, to substantially to resist the force of the bowling ball at release and to support the middle finger from being forced backward in a hyper-extended position where stress or strain would be imposed on the finger.
The tensioning strap may be an elastic or stretchable material so the finger may be extended against the tensioning force of the strap in the process of releasing and lifting the ball. In this way the curved position of the finger and the force holding the finger in its curved position and through its extended position when releasing and lifting the bowling ball, as explained above, may be adjusted by each individual bowler. As the restoring force exerted by an elastic material is proportional to its stretched extension, relative to its relaxed or rest position, as would be known by those skilled in the art, the force exerted by the tensioning strap against the finger is proportionally greatest when the finger is fully extended. This restoring force produced in the tensioning strap, acts in the direction of finger flexure and away from the finger tip and towards the palm or wrist, to force the finger to retain its adjusted curved position and to resist the force of the bowling ball on the bowler""s finger at the ball release which is a direction of finger hyper extension, forcing the curve of the finger to open or if the finger is fully extended, to force the finger back past an extended neutral position into a hyper extended position and placing additional strain and stress on the finger. The adjustment made by the bowler using the tensioning strap adjustment and the force of the adjusted tensioning strap against the finger tip, adjusts the bowler""s finger into an adjusted curved position, whereby the tensioning strap force can resist or counter balance the opposite force of the bowling ball against the finger tip in the direction of hyper extension, at the ball release and thereby reduce the stress and strain placed on the finger.
According to the principles of the disclosed invention, the finger pad protector may comprise a finger pad protector protecting the finger pad and a part of the finger extending from the finger pad toward the first or second finger joint.
As force is applied to the tensioning strap, forcing the finger toward an adjusted curved position, the tension force in the tensioning strap will be forcing the locus described by the tensioning strap into a straight line. However, according to the principles of the disclosed invention, and as disclosed in a preferred embodiment, herein, a substantially transverse force is applied to the tensioning strap forcing it in a locus described by a curved line substantially following the adjusted curve of the finger.
As shown in a preferred embodiment, and according to the principles of the disclosed invention, the force holding the tensioning strap adjacent the finger and palm, may be produced by the glove lining forming a conduit for the tension strap and which forces the locus of the tension strap from its first connection proximate the finger tip or finger pad to the second adjustable connection, into an adjusted curved position, as described by a line from the first tension strap connection to the second tension strap connection, substantially following the adjusted curve of the finger and substantially adjacent the finger or palm. In this way, there is substantially no space imposed between the tensioning strap and the finger or palm, as in the patents cited above, to be taken or removed when the bowler grips the ball, and the locus of the tensioning strap as initially adjusted, is not affected when the bowler places his finger in the bowling ball hole and forces the glove and tensioning strap disposed substantially adjacent finger and palm, against thee bowling ball surface.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to use a tension strap to adjust the curved position of the bowler""s finger and to support the bowler""s finger against the force of the bowling ball, when the bowler""s is extending the finger in the release and lifting of the bowling ball.
In a preferred embodiment, the tensioning strap may be on a non elastic material and adjusted to be held in tension when the finger is substantially in its extended or neutral position. Where the tensioning strap is not flexible or non-elastic, it provides a counter force against a force against the finger tip in the direction past the neutral position and into a hyper extended position. In operation, the non-elastic tensioning strap is adjusted with the middle finger in the extended neutral position. As the tension strap is held in tension, the force from the bowling ball produced when the ball is released and in the direction against the finger tip, forcing the finger into a hyper extended position, is substantially counterbalanced by the force in the tension strap, thereby supporting the finger and preventing hyper-extension. To prevent hyper extension of the middle finger from a neutral position and in a preferred embodiment where the tension strap is elastic, the tension strap may be adjusted so the elastic restoring force produced in the stretched tension strap, substantially counterbalances the force of the bowling ball against the middle finger in the direction of hyper extending the middle finger.
The following is shown and described according to the disclosed inventive principles.
A bowler""s glove covering the bowler""s middle finger and hand, and proximate the bowler""s wrist and including an adjustable tensioning strap to adjust the middle finger into a curved position and to anchor the tensioning strap in the adjusted curved position, comprising, a first means connected at a first end proximate a middle finger tip, for applying a first force to said middle finger; said first means including a second means for adjustment of said first means for adjusting said middle finger to an adjusted curved position; third means for anchoring said second means, proximate the wrist; d. fourth means for retaining said first means substantially against the length of said middle finger opposed to said first means, when said middle finger is in said adjusted curved position.
A bowler""s glove enclosing a bowler""s hand and at least one middle finger, comprising, an adjustable connection; a tension strap adjustably connected by said adjustable connection and to said middle finger; said tension strap responsive to a displacement of said adjustable connection for applying a tension force to said middle finger for placing said middle finger part into an adjusted curved position;said hand and said middle finger including a conduit, whereby said tension strap is retained inside said conduit and against said middle finger part substantially opposed to said tension strap, when said middle finger is in said adjusted curved position.
All of the patents cited above are incorporated herein by reference.